Support



Allg- 19, 1941. c.lr'. VANDERVELD 2,252,997

SUPPORT Filed July 51, -1940 Patented Aug. 19, 1941 assignor to Grand Rapids Store Equipment Company, Grand Rapids, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application July 31, 1940, Serial N; 348,732

4 Claims. `(Cl. 248-243) This invention relates to a support to be used in conjunction with shelving, display cases and the like. The construction is mainly used with store furniture of the type disclosed in Patent No. 2,208,237, issued July 16,1940. a

It is an object and purpose of this inventionto provide a novel construction of metal supporting member embedded `in' and wholly disguised by a main vertical support usually of wood or equivalent material which may be an end of a display case or cabinet, or a post used in shelving structures. The metal member is provided with a plurality of relatively closely spaced slots located vertically one over the other in which shelfl supports, door xture carrying supports and other likeysupporting accessories `may be detachably and `adjustably inserted and held.

The `invention may be understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l :is a fragmentary vertical section through` the combined wood and metal supporting struc-l ture of my invention, illustrating its utility in carrying shelves. a

Figo. 2 is a horizontal section therethrough.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a supporting post equipped with my invention, `and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective View of the flat metallic plate member which is embedded within and back of a side of the woodpost or other main supporting part.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the diierent gures of the drawing.

As illustrated, the main supporting member I of wood or like material, and which may be a vertical post of a shelving unit or the vertical end of a display case or cabinet, at one side thereof is provided with a vertical slot 2 at the outer end portions of which portions of the member I are cut away at each side of the slot'leaving elongated recesses which may extend the full vertical length of the post or cabinet end.

In the bottom of the recesses thus made, a flat plate 3 of metal is located and permanently secured or held in any suitable manner. It may be connected by screws or any other connection may be utilized such that the plate is held against displacement with respect to the member I on which it is mounted. Such plate 3 made from flat metal is provided with a plurality of slots 4 located in vertical series one over the other and spaced short distances from each other and disposed substantially midway between the side edges of the metal plate 3 as shown in Fig` 4,

there being integral portions of the metal between adjacent ends of the slots. When the plate is put in position as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the slots 4 come over the outer end of the vertical slot 2 cut in the member I.4 In practice the slot 2 is narrow approximating of an inch in width. Theslots 4 in` practice are somewhat wider than the slot 2 though it is essential only that such slots 4 shall be wide enough to pass the disengageable metal supporting members associated therewith as will later appear. n

After the plate 3 has been located in position, two bars 5 of wood are located in the remaining portion of the elongated recesses or channels cut vertically in the' member I and are glued in place` or areotherwise permanently secured so as toA be in effect the same as though integral with the1 member I. The twobars 5 are spaced apart from each other at their adjacent sides making a ver` tical slot G'which is in direct alineinent with the slotZ and is of substantially the same width. Theouter sides of the bar 5 lie flush with the corresponding side of the member I. The plate 3 inm'any circumstances'will be held in place by` p the permanent connection of the bars 5v without the need of any other connecting means being used.

The :constructies describes Vd@signed and' adapted to havef used therewith supporting de-A vices such as the supporting bracket shown as one example. This bracket is made from a single piece of at metal having a vertical section at the free end of which is an upwardly extending iinger 8 which may be inserted through a slot 4 with the nnger coming back of the integral cross portion of the plate S-immediately above the upper end of the slot through which the finger 8 is passed. The gauge of the metal from which the bracket is made is such that the thickness of the metal is slightly less than the approximate 1l@ inch width of the slots 2 and 6. The section I at its outer end is continued at right angles in a section 9 from the upper edge portion of which a ledge I0 is bent outwardly substantially in a horizontal plane as shown. Such bracket may be inserted in any particular slot 4 which may be selected. In a display or show case, the ends thereof are provided with a plurality of such plates 3 covered by bars 5 as described located in spaced relation and several of the shelf brackets described used between the upper and lower ends of the display case, with the horizontal ledges I0 of all of the brackets at selected levels of the case in substantially the same horizontal planes so that shelves may be rested upon be supported by the brackets.

It is to be understood that many variations in form of detachable supporting accessories other than the specific bracket shown and described herein are adapted to be used with the support. All, however, will be provided with a vertical at metal section similar to the section 'l having a finger 8 extending upwardly from the inner end thereof for the purposes described.

With this construction, slots 2 and e are narrow and the metal plate 3 is located a distance back of the outer face of the post or end I vof the display case and covered by the wood member 5. No metal on the post or case is Visible while the opening of a slot 6 is scarcely noticeable because so narrow. The sides of the slots 2 and 6 support the vertical sections 'lr 01"'. the brackets or other accessories used while the vertical dimension of the parts 'l of such accessories used is such that the bracket or the like is amply strong and rigid and able to support a considerable weight without bending or buckling. The construction is practical, useful and effective. All structures coming within the scope of the claims appended hereto are to be considered as comprehended by my invention.

I claim:

1. In a construction of the class described, a vertical supporting member provided with a recess at a side thereof extending in a vertical direction, said member being provided with a narrow vertical slot extending inwardly thereinto from the bottom of said recess, a plate of metal positioned lengthwise of said recess and having a plurality of spaced vertical slots cut therethrough located in conjunction with said vertical slot in the member, and bars substantially lling said recess located and secured therein to said member, the adjacent sides `oi the bars being spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the width of said slot in said member, the space between said bars being in alinement with the slot in said vertical member and with said slots in said metal plate.

2. In a construction of the class described, a vertical supporting member having a side thereof provided with a vertical elongated relatively wide and recess and having a vertical slot cut into said,

member from the bottom of said recess, said slot being positioned transversely to the thickness of said vertical member and being of greater depth than width, a at metal plate provided with a consecutive series of spaced apart vertical slots therethrough positioned in said recess lengthwise thereof with its slots in conjunction with the vertical slot in said member, and means seated in said recess over said plate secured to said vertical member for holding the plate in lixed relation to said member, as specified.

3. In a construction of the class described, a

vertical support of wood or like material having a iiat vertical face and provided with and extending inwardly from said face with a longitudinal recess extending substantially the full length of the support, said support having a slot cut inwardly therein from the bottom of said recess substantially at right angles to said flat face, bars located lengthwise of said recess and secured to said support one at each side of said slot therein,f said bars being spaced from each other at adjacent sides to provide a continuous passage be tween them in alinement with the vertical slot in said support, and metallic supporting means located between said bars and said support extending across said vertical slot in the support and adapted to have supporting accessories detachably and adjustably connected therewith.

n. supporting member extending inwardly from said Yface, said member having aslot cut inwardly therein from the bottom of said recess substantially at right angles to said flat face, a metal bar located in said recess having spaced apart openings therethrough across said slot, and covering means substantially filling said recess secured to the member and lying over and covering said plate, said covering means having an outer side flush with the flat face of said member and there being a vertical passage at a side'of said l5A covering means in alinement with the vertical slot in said supporting member and with said openings in the plate.

CHARLES FRANK vANDERvELD. 

